Commonly Mispronounced Kitchen Items

For a little help with some of those confusing French terms and other pesky kitchen or restaurant items that can leave some people a bit tongue-tied:

Foie Gras — fwah-GRAW

Gazpacho — gahz-PAH-cho (not “gaz-pa-chEE-oh”)

Le Creuset — lay-crew-SAY

Charcuterie — shar-KOO-terr-ee

Prawns — prahns (not “prongs,” forks have “prongs,” not shrimp)

Nicoise (salad) — nee-SWAHS

Mirepoix — MEER-pwah

Chipotle — chee-POTE-lay (not “chi-pole-tay,” you will anger anyone from California or the Southwest if you mispronounce this one)

Endive — Surprisingly, it can be pronounced two ways, and both are correct: on-DEEV or EN-dive

Jalapeño — hala-PAY-neo (say it quickly, and almost don’t pronounce the “e” in the last “sounded out” syllable, and the “ñ” will come out as almost a rolling “n” sound; another item which will anger Californians or Southwestern folk if mispronounced)

Kitchen Tips

Tip #319: Stale Eggs

An egg that is really stale will float or tip upward in a bowl of water.

Did You Know...

The word "lasagna" comes from lasanum, the Latin word for pot, i.e., the vessel in which this dish was baked. Lasagna later came to refer to the specific layered-type baked dish we know today, with the long flat, pasta sheets alternating with minced meat, cheese and tomatoes.